Kings Vs Oil are we the Rodney Dangerfield of the first round?

[The Butcher]

I think the Kings are going to give the Oilers a huge pain in the ass. That is my prediction.

 

[The Lukeman]

It's going to be real annoying when the Oilers make this series about the officiating, regardless of the outcome.

 

[johnjm22]

Mike Smith In The Month of April:

GP: 9
SV%: .951
GAA: 1.66
SO: 2

^This is one of my big concerns for the series.

Our two potential advantages in this series are team defense and goaltending. If Smith is playing great, than the latter "advantage" is negated, and our chances of an upset are that much slimmer.

 

[kingsholygrail]

It's going to be real annoying when the Oilers make this series about the officiating, regardless of the outcome.

I'll be disappointed if I don't see McDavid staring down officials like they ran over his dog.

 

[johnjm22]

RANK	PLAYER	NET MINORS/60
1​	T.J. Oshie	1.49​
2​	Andreas Athanasiou	1.34​
3​	Michael Sgarbossa	1.31​
4​	Alex Barré-Boulet	1.23​
5​	Kirill Kaprizov	1.14​
6​	Nikolaj Ehlers	1​
7​	Connor McDavid	0.99​
8​	Ryan Lomberg	0.98​
9​	Mathew Barzal	0.97​
10​	Jordan Kyrou	0.94​

Regarding special teams / penalties / officiating

AA draws a ton of penalties. Second most per 60min in the entire NHL.

You know McDavid is going to draw his. Having AA in lineup can help even things out.

 

[Little Psycho]

Everyone saying Kings are the weakest team in the playoffs but have they seen Dallas??

 

[lumbergh]

Mike Smith In The Month of April:

GP: 9
SV%: .951
GAA: 1.66
SO: 2

^This is one of my big concerns for the series.

Our two potential advantages in this series are team defense and goaltending. If Smith is playing great, than the latter "advantage" is negated, and our chances of an upset are that much slimmer.

Smith also plays the puck extremely well as a goalie, which could be a factor for the Kings. They should either avoid dump ins or Target their dump ins for the corner.

 

[Kudelski37]

Mike Smith In The Month of April:

GP: 9
SV%: .951
GAA: 1.66
SO: 2

^This is one of my big concerns for the series.

Our two potential advantages in this series are team defense and goaltending. If Smith is playing great, than the latter "advantage" is negated, and our chances of an upset are that much slimmer.

Hopefully his May stats look much worse. I hope Brown puts extra padding behind his knees.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

He was unstoppable in 2012 too until we got in his kitchen. He cannot STAND that.

 

[apocalypse]

Oilers are playoff chokers. Yes we stand a very good chance at winning this series. We can roll all four lines. They can roll one line. If we can contain that one line, we will win. If they get stuck having to pair up McDavid with Drai, it's over. We can contain that line with the Danault line. I like our chances.

 

[KingsHockey24]

All I know is I 100% want Brendan Lemieux and AA in the line-up.

 

[KINGS17]

Kings in 3. Oilers get so discouraged by the 8-0 beat down they take in Game 3 that they immediately catch a flight back to Edmonton.

 

[The Butcher]

All I know is I 100% want Brendan Lemieux and AA in the line-up.

It's going to suck if the Kings do that 5 times a game and then go 0 for 5 on the PP.

 

[lumbergh]

Coin flip. I won’t be surprised if the Oilers win, but given the Oilers’ recent history, no one will be shocked if they lose. Maybe the kid line will surprise us with some big goals.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

The only reason the Kings get no respect is because of their play before this year.

This season the Oilers are 3 ROWs better. That’s nothing. Two Hart candidates and you’re 3 games better than your opponent isn’t reassuring.

If you believe system beats talent, then you should feel good about the Kings chances to make it a long series in the worst case scenario.

The reality is that Tippett's lack of making adjustments and a lack of scoring depth really screwed us the last 2 playoffs. We are a much better ES, defensive and overall team with Woodcroft behind the bench. While I respect your team and am not expecting a cakewalk at all, the regular season records would likely have been a bigger difference had we made the coaching change sooner. The playoffs are completely different animal where regular season records mean sweet f all.

Everyone saying Kings are the weakest team in the playoffs but have they seen Dallas??

Agreed, Dallas is complete ass and should be a free bingo square for their opponent.

 

[Reaper45]

Playoff Dustin Brown Inbound!

View attachment 537712

Is that hose his appendage?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The reality is that Tippett's lack of making adjustments and a lack of scoring depth really screwed us the last 2 playoffs. We are a much better ES, defensive and overall team with Woodcroft behind the bench. While I respect your team and am not expecting a cakewalk at all, the regular season records would likely have been a bigger difference had we made the coaching change sooner. The playoffs are completely different animal where regular season records mean sweet f all.

Agreed, Dallas is complete ass and should be a free bingo square for their opponent.

So, we're giving the oilers credit for the team they were after Woodcroft, but we're not giving the Kings credit for the team they are when healthy? We might not be playing each other in the 1st round at all if the Kings hadn't had to reach down to play their literal #15 d-man since we're speaking in 'what ifs.'

They've gotten everyone back but Doughty. That's a huge loss, and some guys are rusty, but the Kings battled the Oilers several times post-Woodcroft while on crutches and held on pretty well I'd say.

I see you giving the Kings respect and I'm not trying to overlook it, but I think that's a component that's being missed here.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

So, we're giving the oilers credit for the team they were after Woodcroft, but we're not giving the Kings credit for the team they are when healthy? We might not be playing each other in the 1st round at all if the Kings hadn't had to reach down to play their literal #15 d-man since we're speaking in 'what ifs.'

They've gotten everyone back but Doughty. That's a huge loss, and some guys are rusty, but the Kings battled the Oilers several times post-Woodcroft while on crutches and held on pretty well I'd say.

I see you giving the Kings respect and I'm not trying to overlook it, but I think that's a component that's being missed here.

Fair enough, the loss of Doughty alone is massive. He's one of my favorite non Oilers players in the league. With all that said, it's going to be a dog fight and should set the eventual winner up to be ready for the 2nd round.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Fair enough, the loss of Doughty alone is massive. He's one of my favorite non Oilers players in the league. With all that said, it's going to be a dog fight and should set the eventual winner up to be ready for the 2nd round.

I definitely agree and I think that's going to be the biggest issue from a Kings perspective. I do think whoever awaits in the 2nd round is going to get a surprise punch in the mouth either way!

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I definitely agree and I think that's going to be the biggest issue from a Kings perspective. I do think whoever awaits in the 2nd round is going to get a surprise punch in the mouth either way!

Seeing Doughty vs. McDavid for an entire series would've been epic. The main thing is that if Calgary is still around that they get bitch smacked in round 2

 

[RonM11]

I'm old enough to remember when the media and a particular fanbase (Vancouver) overlooked the Kings in 2012. We all know what happened next.

Then, St. Louis decided to take a vacation in the second round...or, you could say the Kings absolutely obliterated them. Ken Hitchcock later lamented having to run into the Kings in both 2012 and 2013.

By the time the WCF rolled around, the media finally got it...the Kings were a runaway train at 8-1 and they picked the Kings to win the WCF, and I can't recall anyone who picked NJ in the SCF after the Kings entered that series 12-2 in the playoffs.

Now, I'm not saying that is going to happen again. The 2012 team actually underperformed during the regular season and hit their stride in the playoffs. You might recall they went into the playoffs having lost a chance at the division title with consecutive OT losses in the last two games of the season. So, their "8th seed" status was quite misleading. In addition, the 2012 team was mature with mid-level veterans who had been dispatched in the previous two years in the first round...they were seasoned and ready to take that next step.

In contrast, this 2022 team has over-performed with a patchwork of defensive players, especially the last several weeks. They are young and inexperienced and this is their first return to the playoffs in four years. They are playing an Edmonton team that is also ready to take the next step. Here's the rub: Quick is returning to 2012-2013-2014 form in recent weeks, and I'm hoping that Mike Smith (you know, that guy who took a swing at Mike Richards with his stick after he just let in the series-clinching goal in the 2012 WCF) returns to the crappy goaltender we all know he can be.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

For a team that was only 5 points behind the other one in the standings, I find it incredible that the “pundits” give the Kings little chance to win this series. We all know that a goalie can steal a game or a series. Quick has done it before and hopefully he can do it again. We might have a couple of bad losses in this series, but I think we can still take down the Oilers.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

For a team that was only 5 points behind the other one in the standings, I find it incredible that the “pundits” give the Kings little chance to win this series. We all know that a goalie can steal a game or a series. Quick has done it before and hopefully he can do it again. We might have a couple of bad losses in this series, but I think we can still take down the Oilers.

Kind of what I was alluding to above, for how much went wrong for the Kings all year, I'd be on the other side worried about what happens if everything clicks in time...

@Bryanbryoil has the other side nailed too though, Oilers were essentially the 2012 Kings after the coaching change.

Whoever comes out of this series is going to shock the next opponent imo, and I'm sure people will trash talk this series without realizing what's actually taking place

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Kind of what I was alluding to above, for how much went wrong for the Kings all year, I'd be on the other side worried about what happens if everything clicks in time...

@Bryanbryoil has the other side nailed too though, Oilers were essentially the 2012 Kings after the coaching change.

Whoever comes out of this series is going to shock the next opponent imo, and I'm sure people will trash talk this series without realizing what's actually taking place

Goaltending and defense can lead to upsets. Quick is a $ goalie that always plays us well and you guys have solid 2 way centers down the middle to make Connor and Leon work for everything that they get offensively and make them work on the defensive side of the puck too. The biggest difference I would say between the Oilers now and the last 2 playoffs is that we are a much improved 5v5 team under Woodcroft. We relied so heavily on our PP that when the calls dried up in the playoffs we were screwed. At ES it was all on McDavid and Draisaitl to have big games because our bottom 6 contributions were garbage. Now we actually have a roster where there are no AHL tweeners in our forward group and it makes us a much more formidable team.

 

[Lt Dan]

Is that hose his appendage?